Embedding AI Into Robotics for High-Mix Manufacturing Environments With Rand Owens

Rand Owens is the Head of Marketing at GrayMatter Robotics, which delivers AI-powered robotic solutions to help high-mix manufacturers improve quality and throughput in surface finishing processes. With more than 15 years of marketing leadership, Rand has helped scale multiple B2B technology organizations, including building the foundational marketing team at Motive (formerly KeepTruckin) and supporting its growth to $170 million in revenue. He is passionate about mentoring diverse teams, developing holistic go-to-market strategies, and creating repeatable playbooks for sustainable growth.

In this episode…

Manufacturing has long depended on human intuition. The trained eye that knows when something is slightly off. But what happens when that expertise is hard to find, harder to retain, and nearly impossible to scale?

According to Rand Owens, a growth-focused marketing leader with deep experience in scaling industrial technologies, the answer lies in embedding intelligence directly into the machines themselves. He explains that AI-powered robotics can now see, adapt, and even "learn" in real time, making decisions once reserved for highly skilled operators. Instead of rigid automation, these systems continuously refine their approach based on each unique part, much like a craftsman adjusting their technique on the fly. The result is a shift from inconsistent, labor-dependent output to scalable precision that transforms how manufacturers operate.

In this episode of In Good Company: Where Relationships Drive Results, Lisa Kilrea is joined by Rand Owens, Head of Marketing at GrayMatter Robotics, to discuss embedding AI into robotics for high-mix manufacturing environments. They explore why traditional automation struggles with variability, how AI enables adaptive, real-time decision-making on the factory floor, and why labor challenges are driving adoption.